Rail-joint



UNITED STATES SAMU-EL A. HMMONS, OF LESVILLE, LOUISIANA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Julyfav, 1920.

Y Application led January 28, 1920. Serial No. 354,717.

upon such ends for -holding the same together,V which clamping action becomes greater as the load is increased, as when Va trainvof cars is passing over the same.

A further object Iisfto provide means for accomplishing the above which mayl bel easily applied to -the ends of the rails in.

overlapping relation thereto, and comprising a lpair of Yclamping members larranged upon either 'side of the web of the rail and caused, when under jload, to wedge inwardly and hug the latter in such manner as to rigidly 'hold -the abutting ends in alinement. A still further object is to provide means of (this class which 4may be readily removed from its connection to the rails and as readily re-applied Ywhen desired.

A full and complete understanding of the invention ma 'be obtained from a consideration of the i ollowing detailed description, taken in connection with ythe accompanying drawing 'forminga partof this specification, it Lbeing'understood that while 'the drawing shows a practical form'of the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity therewith, but may "be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout -the several figures,

`Figure l is a perspective View ofthe end portions of abutting railsfhaving the 1 mproved bo'ltless connecting means applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the same.

Fig. 3 is ya longitudinal, horizontal sectional view thereof. A

F ig. 4 -is 'a detail perspective view of one of the clamping members.

The rails l, which 'may be ofthe ordinary standard sizeand shape, are yplaced 'together in the usual manner vwith the adj acent ends abutting, the vpoint -of juncture 'being located customarily between the ties, not shown in the drawing. It is to lbe understood that the improved joint -may be yused in conjunction with wooden, metal, concrete or any other kind of railroad tie.

Oppositely disposed wedging blocks 'or side members 2-'2 arranged -a`t `either side of the web 3 -of the rails are adapted, through means-to "be described, to :be forced inwardly toward Ieach other and against said web with such force, whenisubjected to the load of a Vpassing ear, as to securely'hold the two ends of the rails in alinement.v

These blockslor members extend longitudig of the rails Aal considerable distance ibeyond 1the joint which is located substan- "tia'lly in the center of said blocks, andthe entire length of the latter may be such as to fit between ltwo ties or, if desired, may be made longer so as to rest upon one or more ties.

The blocks 2 havev their upper edges 4 formed to fit beneath the head `5 'of the rail, at each side, andthe inner faces '6 of the said blocks are Asubstantially vertical and fit against the side faces of the web-3,`as clearly shown in Fig. 2 ofthe draw-ing.

The outer faces of the blocks 'or members are inclined, as at 7, and merge, at their lower portions,l into horizontally disposed shelves 8, comprising Vthe upper portions of Outer surrounding walls 9 which lie at the outer edges of the bottom flanges or base 10 of the rails. 4Inwardly directed vtongues 11 formed integrally with the blocks 2 are 'connected with `the lower portions `of the surrounding walls '9 and extend toward each other, the upper faces of the same fitting snugly against the under face of the base of the rail and their adjacent inner edges -lying in spaced relation to each other near the center of said rail. y

The cavity 12 thus formed in 'each block between the tongue 11 and the main body portion Vthereof is adapted to receive one of the outwardly extending flanges comprising the base 10 of the rail, said flange extending to the inner end ofthe said recess -or cavity and the upper wall 13 of the latter is in-y clined as shown, fat a greater inclination so that a space is provided in order that the block may not bind on the flange of the rail when a load is passing, as will become apparent. AThe lower faces 14 of the inwardly extending tongues 11 are inclined to correspond with the walls 13, and the cavity 12 extends from end to end of the block in order to accommodate the base ofthe rail throughout the length of the block 2.

A keeper plate 1o, formed preferably of heavy sheet metal of suflicientV strength and thicknessto withstand the strain to which it issubjected, is adapted to coact -withl the wedging blocks 2 2, to cause them to grip the web of the rails when under load, and to so engage the said blocks as to effectually prevent their becoming positions against the outer faces of the surrounding walls 9 of the blocks and toV hold the same against the Y outer edges of the rail flanges ror base 10, the upper edges of the said walls 16 being bent inwardly towardl each other as at 17 to engage over the top faceo'f the ledge or shelf S, as clearly illustrated inv Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

At each end the keeper plate 15 lis prof Vvided with an extension, which is somewhat narrower than the width ofthe rail base, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3

of the drawing, the said extensions having oppositely disposed lugs 18 located at their corners and adapted, after the vkeeper is in position, to house the wedging blocks, to be bent upwardly against the outer edges of the rail base and then down upon the upper face of the same to securely hold the keeper in place upon the adjacent ends of the rails.

lt will be seen, by referring to 2.of the drawing, that there is a. space left between the -upper faces of therail flanges and the upper walls of the cavities 12, which corresponds with the space between the keeper plate v15 and the lower faces of the inwardly directed tongues 11, which spaces permit the blocks to rock sufficiently to give the desired clamping action of the blocks against the web of the rail, the outer lower edge of the blocks, where bearing upon the plate 15 at the lowerportion of the walls 16, acting as a fulcrum and permitting the tongues 11 to function as levers to throw the upper or body portions of the blocks toward each other and against the web of the rail, when a load is passing over the rail, as will be readily understood.

Y From the foregoing, it will be seen that a simple, cheaply manufactured and effective rail joint has been provided, entirely eliminating the use of bolts or other similar fastening means, and which may be easily appliedv to the abutting'ends of rails by simply sliding the wedging blocks within the space between the upstanding walls 16 of the keeper and the web of the rails, the wall 9 being located beneath the overhanging portion 17 of the keeper, and then by hammering or otherwise forcing the lugs 18 over and upon the lianges of the rails, The device lretains, its position upon the rails, and the more weight the same is subjected to, the greater will be the clamping action.

What is claimed is:-

1. A boltless rail joint comprising arpair ofv identical wedging blocks or side meinbers adapted to lie at opposite sidesofV the webs of abutting rail ends and beneath the head of the rail, each block having a longitudinal v cavity extending throughout its length for receiving the adjacent base fiange of the rail, the upper walls ofrsaid cavities being spacedrfrom the upper faces of the said flanges,the'lower portions of the blocks below the cavities comprising tapered tongues extending toward `but spaced from each other below the railY flanges, and means passing beneath therail and embracing theblocks at the base and l webs of abuttingV rail ends and beneath the head of the rail, each .block having a longitudinal cavity extending throughout its length for receiving the Yadjacent base flange of the rail, the upper walls of said cavities beingA spaced fromV theupper faces of the said flanges, the lower portions of the blocks below the cavities comprising tapered tongues extending toward but spa-ced from each otherV Vbelow the rail anges, a keeper Yplate arranged beneath the said tongues and Vhaving outer` walls surrounding the lower portions of. the blocks to prevent ,their spreading, means provided on the keeper plate to hold the said plate .together with the blocks in posi` tion upon the rails, the said blocks being adapted to have a rocking movement, when under a load, to clamp the rails and hold the same in position. Y

"3. A boltless rail joint comprising a pair of clamping blocks, each adapted to lie at opposite sides of the webs of abutting rail ends, said blocks having outer walls surtending the full length of the block and tapering toward their inner ends where they are spaced from each other, a keeper plate located beneath the tongues and having longitudinal walls at its outer edges abutting against the outer Walls of the blocks and having inwardly directed portions overlying the blocks, and lugs located at the corners of the keeper plate and 10 adapted to be bent over and upon the rail flanges to hold the plate and the Yblocks in position.

ln testimony that'I claim the foregoing as my oWn7 I have hereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL A. HAMMONS.

Vitnesses:

A. R. GAIN, N. J. POWELL. 

